Tonight’s the last night for a special program out at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. For $20, anyone can take their car, from Camaro to clunker, out on the main raceway. The Friday night races are part of an effort to curb illegal drag racing. About 30 people die each year in racing accidents, including a teen in Forth Worth just a week ago. The people at Texas Motor Speedway figure if kids (and adults too) can come out and race legally, maybe they’ll forgo doing it in more dangerous situations.

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The track is an eighth of a mile long. Speeds top 110 or 120 m.p.r. Cars are put in four divisions. The competition is organized like a NCAA bracket. Similar cars are pitted against each other. Loser goes home, winner moves up. Last two go head to head for bragging rights. Drivers earn points in each of the six weeks the contests are held and overall winners will be crowned.

So far, the program looks like it’s been a success. About one hundred twenty-five cars have taken part each week and several hundred people show up just to watch. The best part of the races was seeing the more unusual cars. My favorite? Seeing two Toyota Yaris race against each other.